June 22 – Who Says?

Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” (Luke 9:20 ESV)

What do others say about you? Is it good? Is it bad? Do you even want to know?

There are certainly times when it is better just not to know what it is that people are saying about you. Reputation can be a toxic trap for good or for bad. Even Jesus used his reputation as a teaching point for his disciples when he asked them the questions, “Who do the crowds say that I am” and “Who do you say that I Am?”

The disciples answered his similar questions with very different answers. The people viewed Jesus as a prophet of old returned to them somehow. The disciples themselves, and especially Peter, saw Jesus as the Christ of God, the Messiah that would save humanity from their sins.

Reputation can be ugly. Especially if you start trying to draw conclusions or make decisions based on the wrong people’s opinions. The reputation of Jesus has suffered in America over the last several decades, mostly because of the neglect of the Church. We have been distracted by other things, like our own reputation, and not always put our best foot forward. When the Church’s reputation hurts, so does Christ’s. We are, after all, his representation here.

What can you and I do to guard the reputation of Christ from slander and misrepresentation? At times we may not be able to do anything. But we each have our part to play in representing the King.